UKIP MEPs laziest in Europe

UKIP's attendance record in the European Parliament is worse than that of their counterparts from the three major parties.

UKIP’s attendance record in the European Parliament is worse than that of their counterparts from the three major parties, according to data compiled by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Happy to sign-in and collect their allowances, UKIP’s nine MEPs have missed around a third of the votes in the European Parliament between 2009 and October 2013. They have also missed almost all of the ‘reports amended’ sessions in which MEPs lay down amendments to legislation.

This was once again demonstrated on Wednesday, when Europe voted on whether its Parliament should continue meeting in both Brussels and Strasbourg, after a long campaign highlighting the fact that it costs European taxpayers €180m to meet in two locations rather than one.

Despite UKIP claiming to be standing up for Britain against European bureaucracy, however, only four UKIP MEPs out of nine bothered to turn up to vote on the measure at all. And those that did turn up abstained – on a measure that would have trimmed spending and cut waste!

And yet despite only four UKIP MEPs turning up to vote on the ‘second seat’ rule on Wednesday, six UKIP MEPs signed in to claim their daily spending allowance.

In other words, some UKIP MEPs signed in and couldn’t even be bothered to abstain!

66 Responses to “UKIP MEPs laziest in Europe”

TM

We’re not all dumb, we’re not all naïve, and we’re not all Lefties either! It always seems to be an epithet used by Right wingers that everyone or anyone who disagrees with them is a socialist. No, we just might disagree with you. Farage is a nice bloke and you could probably have a laugh with him in the boozer, but I have met nice blokes in the boozer before but I don’t necessarily want them running the country! UKIP are chancers and opportunists and going for the cheap populism and cheap jingoism of the likes of the Sun newspaper; that’s why many of us don’t want him in power. It will be just a continuation of the same politics. The same house, different coat of paint.

Rallan

So what? Just saying that they are “pretty objective” doesn’t mean a thing. You can pick a poll that says 10%. I can pick one that says 18%. What does that prove?

Over the last 2 years all polls have substantially under predicted actual UKIP results. Its obvious from the very different polls and wrong predictions that their formulas just can’t cope with having a 4th substantial party in the mix. UKIP is a wildcard.

I’m not calling conspiracy, and I’m not even (necessarily) saying that your 10% is wrong. I am saying that polls are now just a somewhat educated guess instead of a science.

Rallan

OMG, finally a decent hit! There can’t be any denying that a lot of the last batch of MEPs haven’t made UKIP proud. But we’ve still got some good ones there, and the 2014 batch will have been much more carefully selected.

The_Average_Joe_UK

The_Average_Joe_UK

TheLiberalArms

Opposing the EU is perfectly legitimate – but UKIP MEP’s either need to turn up all the time or give their salaries to charity. Instead they are currently pocketing the money and then doing bugger all.

TheLiberalArms

Rallan

Why do they “need to”? They are doing what they were elected to do. The people who elected them knew they were Euro Skeptic and are not complaining about their work.

What you mean is, UKIP MEPs are not doing the job that you think they should do, so they should therefore not get paid because you don’t like it. That’s your problem.The electorate disagree. At the 2014.EU parliamentary election even more UKIP MEPs will be democratically selected.

Ian Young

The Tories of course have EU-sceptic elements but they turn up like professional adults to represent their constituents and involve themselves in passing legislation they think will benefit them. UKIP’s childish imbecilic public school rugby club antics in the EP are an embarrassment to their country.

Thomas Evans

hanshall

Ewan Valentine

Why would they show up and sit around voting in favour of countless, meaningless directives? They are *the only* voice of the majority who want out! Compared with the other three who collect eye watering sums from the EU coughers for turning up and working against British self-ownership and against our say on the matter, I.e a referendum. UKIP use a great deal of their EU money for their out campaign, which again, compare that to the public expenditure on the in campaign… It’s a drop in the ocean.

I think the true scandal in all of this, is those of you who sit idly by, bad mouthing UKIP on highly petty crimes, whilst they remain the only group to balance the debate and fight for the millions of people who want out. Not just in the UK, UKIP have also given talks and q&a’s all over Europe.